JP7280132B2 - Vacuum chamber and substrate processing equipment - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to vacuum chambers and substrate processing apparatuses.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a vacuum processing apparatus having a vacuum chamber called a load lock chamber is known. A load-lock chamber transfers substrates between the outside of a vacuum processing apparatus in an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and the inside in a vacuum atmosphere (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Generally, a load lock chamber is composed of a chamber body having an opening with an area larger than the substrate to be transferred, a lid closing the upper opening of the chamber body, and a gate valve arranged at the entrance and exit of the load lock chamber. be done. A sealing member such as an O-ring is provided on the contact surface between the chamber main body and the lid and the contact surface between the chamber main body and the valve element of the gate valve, thereby obtaining the tightness of the load lock chamber. It is

Inside the load lock chamber having such a configuration, a vacuum atmosphere generated by driving the vacuum pump and an atmospheric pressure atmosphere generated by supplying a vent gas such as nitrogen gas are repeatedly generated.

By setting the inside of the load lock chamber to the atmospheric pressure atmosphere, the substrate can be transferred between the atmospheric pressure side robot arm and the load lock chamber. A lifting mechanism provided inside the load lock chamber is driven to move the lift pins in the vertical direction. is passed.

By making the inside of the load lock chamber a vacuum atmosphere, the substrate can be transferred between the load lock chamber and a vacuum-side robot arm provided in the transfer chamber adjacent to the load lock chamber. The lifting mechanism is driven to move the lift pins vertically, and the substrate is transferred from the vacuum-side robot arm to the lift pins, or from the lift pins to the vacuum-side robot arm.

Japanese Patent No. 5462946

However, the conventional load lock chamber described above has the following problems.
(1) When a driving device such as an air cylinder, which constitutes an elevating mechanism, vibrates, the vibration is transmitted to other members forming the elevating mechanism or members adjacent to the elevating mechanism. As a result, there is a problem that the particles deposited inside the load lock chamber roll up and scatter, and the particles adhere to the substrate.
(2) The O-ring is crushed by the lid or a restoring force is generated in the O-ring due to the repeated occurrence of a vacuum atmosphere and an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. As a result, there is a problem that particles are generated from the O-ring due to friction between the O-ring and the lid, scatter in the internal space of the load lock chamber, and adhere to the substrate. Furthermore, in recent years, substrates to be transported have become larger, and for example, load lock chambers have also become larger in order to transport large substrates having sides exceeding 1500 mm. Accordingly, the amount of deflection of the lid increases as the area of the lid increases, and the amount of friction between the O-ring and the lid increases more than before due to the repeated generation of the vacuum atmosphere and the atmospheric pressure atmosphere. Furthermore, there is a problem that particles are generated not only by the friction between the O-ring and the lid, but also by the friction caused by the contact between the members constituting the load lock chamber and the lid, and the particles adhere to the substrate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and provides a vacuum chamber that achieves the following objects, and a substrate processing apparatus equipped with this vacuum chamber.
1. To prevent particles from being stirred up and scattered due to vibration accompanying driving of an elevating mechanism, and to prevent particles from adhering to a substrate to be transported.
2. To prevent particles from being generated from a seal member between a chamber body and a lid, and to prevent particles from adhering to a substrate to be transferred.

A vacuum chamber according to an aspect of the present invention is configured by arranging along the transport direction a plurality of block bodies each having an annular open space when viewed from the transport direction of the substrate, wherein the openings of the plurality of block bodies are arranged. A vacuum chamber capable of switching between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere in an internal space formed by communicating spaces, the first block body being one of the plurality of block bodies; A second block, which is one of the blocks, extends in a direction intersecting the conveying direction, has a groove formed on the inner lower surface of the opening space, and is connected and fixed to the first block through a seal member. a block, a base member extending in the direction in which the groove extends and fitted into the groove, a support end with which the substrate contacts, and a support end located on the opposite side of the support end and fixed to the base member. and a plurality of substrate support pins for supporting the substrate within the vacuum chamber.

In the vacuum chamber according to an aspect of the present invention, each of at least two block bodies among the plurality of block bodies is located at positions corresponding to four corner regions of the internal space of the vacuum chamber in a plan view of the vacuum chamber. You may have an exhaust part provided in.

In the vacuum chamber according to an aspect of the present invention, the groove is positioned between the first block body and the second block body, and the base member and the substrate support pin are fitted in the groove. A cover covering a gap between the first block body and the second block body may be provided between the fixed end and the fixed end.

In the vacuum chamber according to an aspect of the present invention, a window is provided on at least one side surface of the plurality of blocks in a side view in a direction parallel to the substrate and in a direction crossing the transport direction. may be formed.

In the vacuum chamber according to an aspect of the present invention, each of at least two block bodies among the plurality of block bodies corresponds to four corners of the substrate arranged inside the vacuum chamber in plan view of the vacuum chamber. Each positioning mechanism includes a first roller rotatable around an axis parallel to the conveying direction, and a first roller rotatable around an axis parallel to the conveying direction, and around an axis parallel to the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction and a rotatable second roller, wherein in a state in which the substrate is in contact with the support ends of the plurality of substrate support pins, the position of the corner portion of the substrate is adjusted by the first roller and the second roller. may be determined.

A substrate processing apparatus according to an aspect of the present invention is configured by arranging a plurality of block bodies each having an annular open space when viewed from a substrate transport direction along the transport direction, wherein the plurality of block bodies are arranged in the transport direction. A vacuum chamber capable of switching the atmosphere of an internal space formed by communicating open spaces between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere, a transfer chamber connected to the vacuum chamber, and a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber. and a transfer robot that transfers the substrate between the vacuum chamber and the transfer chamber and between the transfer chamber and the process chamber, and is provided inside the transfer chamber. Prepare. The vacuum chamber includes a first block that is one of the plurality of block bodies and one of the plurality of block bodies that extends in a direction crossing the transport direction and is formed on the inner lower surface of the opening space. a second block body having a groove formed therein and connected and fixed to the first block body via a seal member; a base member extending in the direction in which the groove extends and fitted into the groove; a plurality of substrate support pins for supporting the substrate inside the vacuum chamber, each having a support end with which the substrate contacts and a fixed end positioned on the opposite side of the support end and fixed to the base member; have

In the substrate processing apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention, the transport robot includes a robot hand, an arm for moving the robot hand along the transport direction, and a robot hand for moving the robot hand along the vertical direction of the substrate. and an elevating mechanism that allows the robot hand to move between a position below the substrate and the transfer chamber by driving the arm in the internal space of the vacuum chamber, and the elevating mechanism By being driven, the robot hand may move the robot hand up and down between a position below the substrate and a position above the substrate.

According to the vacuum chamber according to the aspect of the present invention, the base member is fitted into the groove formed in the inner lower surface of the opening space of the block (second block), and the plurality of substrates fixed to the base member are supported. A substrate is supported by the pins. With this configuration, there is no need to use an elevating mechanism as in the conventional structure, and it is possible to prevent particles from being stirred up and scattered due to vibrations accompanying driving of the elevating mechanism.
Furthermore, unlike the conventional structure in which the upper opening of the chamber main body is closed with a lid, the vacuum chamber according to the above aspect of the present invention has an internal space formed by connecting annular opening spaces. That is, a lidless structure can be realized. With this configuration, it is possible to solve the problem of the conventional structure that particles are generated from the sealing member between the chamber main body and the lid.

According to the vacuum chamber according to the above aspect of the present invention, the gas inside the vacuum chamber is directed toward the four exhaust sections by providing the exhaust sections at positions corresponding to the four corner regions of the internal space of the vacuum chamber. flow dispersively. On the other hand, in the conventional structure in which the vacuum chamber is provided with only one exhaust section, the gas inside the vacuum chamber flows intensively toward one exhaust section. Therefore, according to the vacuum chamber according to the above aspect of the present invention, the flow rate per exhaust section can be reduced, for example, the flow rate can be reduced to about 1/4 of the conventional flow rate. Dispersive flows are generated that flow towards the four exhausts. Compared to the conventional structure, it is possible to reduce the generation of air currents generated in the vacuum chamber, and to prevent particles from being stirred up and scattered. As a result, it is possible to prevent particles from adhering to the substrate to be transported.

According to the vacuum chamber according to the aspect of the present invention, the gap between the first block body and the second block body is closed by providing the cover that covers the gap between the first block body and the second block body. It is possible to prevent the particles deposited on the inside of the vacuum chamber from scattering inside the vacuum chamber. As a result, it is possible to prevent particles from adhering to the substrate to be transported.

According to the vacuum chamber according to the above aspect of the present invention, since the windows are formed in the side surfaces of the block body, it is possible to replace the base member to which the substrate support pins are fixed and to clean the internal space of the vacuum chamber through the windows. It is possible to perform maintenance work such as

According to the vacuum chamber according to the above aspect of the present invention, by providing the positioning mechanisms at the positions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate placed in the vacuum chamber, it is possible to prevent the position of the substrate from shifting within the vacuum chamber. can be prevented.

According to the vacuum processing apparatus according to the aspect of the present invention, it is possible to obtain the same effect as the vacuum chamber described above.

1 is a plan view showing a schematic structure of a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a schematic structure of a load lock chamber that constitutes a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 1 is a front view showing the schematic structure of a load-lock chamber that constitutes a substrate processing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and is a front view showing the load-lock chamber viewed from the substrate transfer direction in a state in which an atmosphere-side gate valve is removed; FIG. be. FIG. 2B is a view showing the internal structure of the load lock chamber that constitutes the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a cross-sectional view taken along line AA shown in FIG. 2B. FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a base member arranged inside a load lock chamber that constitutes the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 3B is a view showing the main part of the block body, the base member, and the substrate support pins that constitute the load lock chamber that constitutes the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is the portion along the line BB shown in FIG. 3A; It is a sectional view. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exhaust system including pipes and valves provided between an exhaust part provided in a load lock chamber and a vacuum pump that constitute the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the block body of the load lock chamber that constitutes the substrate processing apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention, and is a side view showing a positioning mechanism provided on the inner lower surface of the block body. It is a figure explaining the board|substrate conveyance in the load lock chamber which comprises the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the board|substrate conveyance in the load lock chamber which comprises the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the board|substrate conveyance in the load lock chamber which comprises the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure explaining the board|substrate conveyance in the load lock chamber which comprises the substrate processing apparatus which concerns on embodiment of this invention.

A substrate processing apparatus having a vacuum chamber according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. In each drawing used to describe the present embodiment, the scale of each member is appropriately changed so that each member has a recognizable size.
In the following description, "plan view of the substrate processing apparatus" or "plan view of the vacuum chamber" may be simply referred to as "plan view". The term "planar view" means a plane viewed from above the substrate processing apparatus or the vacuum chamber (the Z direction in FIG. 1), and is synonymous with the plan view shown in FIG.
Moreover, ordinal numbers such as "first", "second", and "third" in the following embodiments are given to avoid confusion of constituent elements, and do not limit the quantity.

(substrate processing equipment)
As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment includes a transfer chamber 2, a load lock chamber 10, process chambers 1A to 1E, an atmospheric transfer device 3, and a controller 100.
The transfer chamber 2, the load lock chamber 10, and the process chambers 1A to 1E are connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) for maintaining the internal space in a vacuum state, and a gas supply section for supplying gas to the internal space. ing.
The control unit 100 controls the transfer chamber 2, the load lock chamber 10, the process chambers 1A to 1E, the vacuum transfer robot 2a (transfer robot), and the atmospheric transfer robot 3a. ) is also controlled.
A load lock chamber 10 is connected to the transfer chamber 2 via a gate valve. Similarly, the transfer chamber 2 is connected to each of the process chambers 1A to 1E via gate valves.

(Transfer chamber)
The transfer chamber 2 has a polygonal shape in plan view. Each side of the transfer chamber 2 is connected to a load lock chamber 10 and process chambers 1A to 1E via gate valves.
The transfer chamber 2 may be polygonal, and may have any planar shape from a triangle to an octagon.

A vacuum transfer robot 2a is provided inside the transfer chamber 2, and transfers substrates between the transfer chamber 2 and the load lock chamber 10 and between the transfer chamber 2 and each of the process chambers 1A to 1E. It is considered to be transportable (substrate transfer is possible).

(Vacuum transfer robot)
The vacuum transfer robot 2a transfers substrates S (described later) between the load lock chamber 10 and the transfer chamber 2 and between the transfer chamber 2 and each process chamber.
The vacuum transfer robot 2a includes a rotating shaft, an arm 2b attached to the rotating shaft, a robot hand 2c attached to the tip of the arm 2b, and an elevating mechanism 2d for vertically moving the arm 2b and the robot hand 2c. Prepare. By rotating the arm 2b around the rotation axis, the robot hand 2c is placed at a position facing the load lock chamber 10 and one process chamber selected from the process chambers 1A to 1E. By driving the arm 2b in this state, the robot hand 2c can move between the transfer chamber 2 and the selected process chamber. By driving the lifting mechanism 2d, the robot hand 2c can move in the vertical direction.
A plurality of vacuum transfer robots 2a can also be installed in the transfer chamber 2. FIG.

The arm 2b can move the robot hand 2c along the substrate S transport direction TD (described later).
More specifically, by driving the arm 2b, the robot hand 2c moves the substrate S in a state where the substrate S is placed on the robot hand 2c or in a state where the substrate S is not placed on the robot hand 2c. It is possible to move between the lower position and the transfer chamber 2 .

The lifting mechanism 2d can move the robot hand 2c along the vertical direction of the substrate S (vertical direction, gravity direction, Z direction, or directions LD and UD (described later)).
More specifically, when the substrate S is placed on the robot hand 2c or not placed on the robot hand 2c, the lower position of the substrate S and the substrate It is possible to move the robot hand 2c to and from the position above S.

(process chamber)
Each of the process chambers 1A to 1E has a sealed internal space, and processes substrates in the sealed internal space such as a vacuum atmosphere. Substrate processing performed in each of the process chambers 1A to 1E includes film formation such as coating, sputtering, vapor deposition, various CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition), etching, ashing, and cleaning. The substrate processing performed in 1E to 1E is not limited to the above listed processing.

Also, the types of processing performed in the process chambers 1A-1E may be the same in two or more process chambers, or may be different from each other.
The number of substrates arranged in the internal spaces of the process chambers 1A to 1E is not limited, and may be one or more than two.

(Atmospheric transport device)
The atmospheric transfer device 3 includes an atmospheric transfer robot 3 a and a substrate cassette 4 .
The atmospheric transfer robot 3a includes a rotating shaft, an arm 3b attached to the rotating shaft, a robot hand 3c attached to the tip of the arm 3b, and an elevating mechanism 3d for vertically moving the arm 3b. By rotating the arm 3b about the rotation axis, the robot hand 3c is arranged at a position facing the load lock chamber 10 or the substrate cassette 4. As shown in FIG. By driving the arm 3b, the robot hand 3c can move along the transport direction TD. By driving the lifting mechanism 3d, the robot hand 3c can move in the vertical direction.

A plurality of substrates are placed on the substrate cassette 4 along the Z direction. The multiple substrates are parallel to each other in a direction perpendicular to the Z direction. The substrate cassette 4 can hold unprocessed substrates before being processed by the process chambers 1A to 1E and processed substrates that have been processed by the process chambers 1A to 1E.
Note that the configuration of the substrate cassette is not limited to the configuration in which one substrate cassette carries both unprocessed substrates and processed substrates. A configuration including a dedicated first substrate cassette for loading only unprocessed substrates and a dedicated second substrate cassette for loading only processed substrates may be adopted.

(load lock chamber)
As shown in FIG. 1, the load lock chamber 10 (vacuum chamber) is arranged between the atmospheric transfer robot 3 a and the transfer chamber 2 . Atmosphere-side gate valves AG (AG1, AG2) are provided between the atmosphere transfer robot 3a and the load lock chamber 10 via O-rings (sealing members) or the like. A vacuum-side gate valve VG (VG1, VG2) is provided between the transfer chamber 2 and the load lock chamber 10 via an O-ring or the like.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the load lock chamber 10 has two internal spaces 11 (11U, 11L) aligned in the vertical direction (Z direction). An atmosphere-side gate valve AG1 and a vacuum-side gate valve VG1 are provided on both sides in the transport direction TD of the upper internal space 11U, which is positioned above the two internal spaces 11 . The upper internal space 11U is sealed by closing both the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 and the vacuum side gate valve VG1. In this state, the atmosphere of the upper internal space 11U can be switched between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere.
Similarly, an atmosphere-side gate valve AG2 and a vacuum-side gate valve VG2 are provided on both sides in the transport direction TD of the lower internal space 11L, which is located below the two internal spaces 11 . The lower internal space 11L is sealed by closing both the atmosphere side gate valve AG2 and the vacuum side gate valve VG2. In this state, the atmosphere of the lower internal space 11L can be switched between the atmospheric pressure atmosphere and the vacuum atmosphere.

The load lock chamber 10 is composed of a plurality of blocks arranged along the substrate transport direction TD. In this embodiment, the number of blocks is five, and the load lock chamber 10 is divided by the first block 10A, the second block 10B, the third block 10C, the fourth block 10D, and the fifth block 10E. is configured. Two block bodies adjacent to each other among the five block bodies are connected and fixed by a fastening member such as a screw (not shown) via an O-ring SL (sealing member, see FIG. 4) press-fitted into the O-ring groove. ing. As a material for the block body, for example, a metal such as aluminum is used.

Each of the plurality of blocks has an annular open space OP when viewed from the transport direction TD, that is, each block has two open spaces OP1 and OP2.
Specifically, each of the open spaces OP1 and OP2 is a space surrounded by an inner lower surface IL, an inner upper surface IU, and two inner side surfaces IS, and extends along the transport direction TD.

The upper internal space 11U is formed by connecting the opening spaces OP1 of the five blocks along the transport direction TD. Similarly, the lower internal space 11L is formed by connecting the opening spaces OP2 of the five blocks along the transport direction TD.
In other words, the load lock chamber 10 constituted by the above-described five block bodies realizes a lidless structure, unlike the conventional structure having a lid that closes the upper opening of the chamber in plan view.

(Internal structure of load lock chamber)
Next, the internal structure of the load lock chamber 10 (the internal structure of the upper internal space 11U) will be described with reference to FIGS. 3A to 4. FIG. The internal structure of the lower internal space 11L is the same as the internal structure of the upper internal space 11U, so the description thereof will be omitted. Further, in FIG. 3A, the substrate arranged in the upper internal space 11U is denoted by symbol S. As shown in FIG.

(First block body)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the first block 10A has a seal surface 11a that contacts the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 via a seal member such as an O-ring. Exhaust portions 11b and 11c are provided on the inner lower surface IL of the first block 10A on both sides in the X direction in the upper internal space 11U. Here, the exhaust portions 11b and 11c are holes (exhaust ports) formed in the first block 10A.

Positioning mechanisms 41 and 42 are arranged at positions inside the positions of the two exhaust portions 11b and 11c on the inner lower surface IL of the first block 10A. An atmosphere-side substrate support pin 30a (a substrate support pin close to the atmosphere-side gate valve AG1) is provided upright from the inner lower surface IL in a region close to the seal surface 11a and overlapping the edge region of the substrate S. ing. In this embodiment, the number of atmosphere-side substrate support pins 30a is two, but this number is not limited.

(Second block body)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the second block 10B is fixedly connected to the first block 10A via an O-ring SL (seal member). Windows 12a are provided on the inner side surfaces IS of the second block 10B on both sides in the X direction in the upper internal space 11U.
In other words, the window 12a is formed in the side surface of the second block 10B in a side view in a direction (X direction) that is parallel to the substrate S and intersects the transport direction TD. A flange 12b is fixed to the outside (outer wall portion) of the window 12a via an O-ring so as to cover the window 12a. That is, even if the window 12a is formed in the second block body 10B, the upper internal space 11U is sealed by the flange 12b. Flange 12b is removable. If the flange 12b is made of a transparent material, the operator can observe the inside of the load lock chamber 10 through the flange 12b.

As shown in FIG. 4, the inner lower surface IL of the second block 10B is formed with a groove 12G extending in the direction (X direction) crossing the transport direction TD. The groove 12G has an inverted L shape with a vertical surface 12GV and a horizontal surface 12GH formed in the second block 10B. By connecting the first block 10A and the second block 10B, a substantially U-shaped fitting groove FG is formed by the end surface 11E of the first block 10A and the groove 12G. That is, the fitting groove FG is positioned between the first block 10A and the second block 10B.

(Base member 20)
The base member 20 shown in FIG. 3B is fitted in the fitting groove FG. The base member 20 extends in the direction (X direction) in which the fitting groove FG extends, that is, the base member 20 is provided so as to fill the formation portion of the fitting groove FG. A plurality of substrate support pins 30 are fixed to the base member 20 .

Materials for the base member 20 include polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon (registered trademark). By using Teflon as the base member 20, the base member 20 smoothly slides on the surface of aluminum used as the constituent material of the block. Therefore, it becomes possible to easily insert the base member 20 into the fitting groove FG. Moreover, since the base member 20 can be attached to and detached from the fitting groove FG while the base member 20 is slid on the inner surface of the fitting groove FG, maintenance such as replacement work of the base member 20 is excellent.
The material of the base member 20 is not limited to Teflon, and the base member 20 may be made of other materials as long as the above advantages are obtained.

(Board support pin)
As shown in FIG. 4, each substrate support pin 30 includes a rod 31, a ball bear 32 (support end) rotatably supported by an upper portion 31U of the rod 31, and a base member positioned opposite to the ball bear 32. It has a fixed end 33 fixed to the base member 20 and a bolt 34 (fastening portion) fixed to a screw hole 20S formed in the base member 20 .
An upper end 32T of the ball bearing 32 is a portion with which the substrate S contacts. When the board S is supported by the board support pins 30, the ball bearing 32 and the board S come into contact with each other. At this time, the substrate S can be smoothly moved in the horizontal direction (X direction and Y direction) by the rotation of the ball bearing 32, so that the substrate S can be prevented from being damaged.

In this embodiment, the number of board support pins 30 fixed to one base member 20 is four. The number of board support pins 30 is not limited to four. The number of substrate support pins 30 and the arrangement pitch of the substrate support pins 30 are determined so as to avoid interference with the robot hands 2c and 3c and to minimize the amount of deflection of the substrate S supported by the substrate support pins 30 due to its own weight. is determined by The length of the rod 31, that is, the height of the substrate support pin 30 is determined according to the amount of vertical movement of the substrate S by the robot hands 2c and 3c, the opening height of the opening space OP1, and the like.

The same configuration as the substrate support pin 30 is employed for the above-described atmosphere side substrate support pin 30a, vacuum side substrate support pin 30b (described later), and substrate corner support pin 30c (described later). However, the heights of the substrate support pins 30, the vacuum-side substrate support pins 30b, and the substrate corner support pins 30c are adjusted so that the substrate S is maintained horizontally with respect to the inner lower surface IL.

(Groove cover)
As shown in FIGS. 3B and 4 , a groove cover 21 (cover) is arranged between the fixed end 33 of the substrate support pin 30 and the base member 20 . The groove cover 21 extends in the direction (X direction) in which the fitting groove FG extends, and the width of the groove cover 21 in the Y direction is greater than the width of the base member 20 . Although the base member 20 is fitted in the fitting groove FG as described above, the groove cover 21 is not provided inside the fitting groove FG.

The groove cover 21 has a through hole 21P. The through holes 21P are provided at positions corresponding to the screw holes 20S formed in the base member 20. As shown in FIG. The size of the through hole 21P is larger than the diameter of the bolt 34. As shown in FIG. The bolt 34 is fixed to the screw hole 20S through the through hole 21P. The groove cover 21 is fixed to the base member 20 by the fastening force of the bolts 34 to the screw holes 20S.

The lower surface 21L of the groove cover 21 is in contact with the inner lower surfaces IL of the first block 10A and the second block 10B. The upper surface 21U of the groove cover 21 is exposed to the upper internal space 11U and has a shape that slopes from the corner of the fixed end 33 toward the inner lower surfaces IL of the first block 10A and the second block 10B.
Since the width of the groove cover 21 is larger than that of the base member 20, the groove cover 21 covers the gap G between the first block 10A and the second block 10B when viewed from the Z direction.
The material of the groove cover 21 may be the same material as that of the base member 20, or may be a different material.

In addition, in the structure shown in FIG. 4 , the groove cover 21 is a separate body separated from the base member 20 . In this case, the groove cover 21 may function as a spacer that adjusts the 30 length (height) of the substrate support pin.
The groove cover 21 may be an integral piece formed integrally with the base member 20 . In this case, the groove cover 21 is made of the same material as the base member 20 . Moreover, in this configuration, a screw hole may be formed in the through hole 21P.

In the third block body 10C, fourth block body 10D, and fifth block body 10E described below, the structure in which the base member 20 is fitted in the fitting groove FG and the gap between the two adjacent block bodies A structure in which G is covered with a groove cover 21 is adopted.

(Third block body)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the third block 10C is fixedly connected to the second block 10B via an O-ring SL (see FIG. 4). An opening 13a is provided in the inner side surface IS of the third block 10C on both sides in the X direction in the upper internal space 11U, and a vent filter 13b is provided inside the opening 13a. A gas supply portion 13c is provided on the outside (outer wall portion).

The gas supply unit 13c supplies vent gas (for example, nitrogen gas) into the load lock chamber 10 through the vent filter 13b. The vent filter 13b uniformly disperses the flow of gas supplied from the gas supply portion 13c to the upper internal space 11U.

As shown in FIG. 4, a groove 13G extending in a direction (X direction) crossing the transport direction TD is formed in the inner lower surface IL of the third block body 10C. Similar to groove 12G, groove 13G has an inverted L shape with vertical surface 13GV and horizontal surface 13GH. By connecting the second block body 10B and the third block body 10C, a substantially U-shaped fitting groove FG is formed by the end surface 12E of the second block body 10B and the groove 13G. The base member 20 shown in FIG. 3B is fitted in the fitting groove FG.

Regarding the interpretation of the relative relationship between the second block body 10B and the third block body 10C, the second block body 10B corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention, and the third block body 10C corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention. corresponds to the "second block body" of That is, the third block 10C connected and fixed to the second block 10B corresponds to the "second block connected and fixed to the first block" of the present invention. The groove 13G formed in the third block 10C corresponds to the "groove of the second block" of the present invention, and is a fitting groove formed by the end face 12E of the second block 10B and the groove 13G. FG corresponds to "a groove located between the first block and the second block" of the present invention.

(4th block body)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the fourth block 10D is fixedly connected to the third block 10C via an O-ring SL (see FIG. 4). Windows 14a are provided on the inner side surfaces IS of the fourth block 10D on both sides in the X direction in the upper internal space 11U. A flange 14b is fixed to the outside (outer wall portion) of the window 14a via an O-ring so as to cover the window 14a. The structure of window 14a and flange 14b is the same as the structure of window 12a and flange 12b described above.

As shown in FIG. 4, a groove 14G extending in a direction (X direction) crossing the transport direction TD is formed in the inner lower surface IL of the fourth block 10D. Similar to grooves 12G and 13G, groove 14G has an inverted L shape with vertical surface 14GV and horizontal surface 14GH. By connecting the third block 10C and the fourth block 10D, a substantially U-shaped fitting groove FG is formed by the end face 13E of the third block 10C and the groove 14G. The base member 20 shown in FIG. 3B is fitted in the fitting groove FG.

Regarding the interpretation of the relative relationship between the third block body 10C and the fourth block body 10D, the third block body 10C corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention, and the fourth block body 10D corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention. corresponds to the "second block body" of That is, the fourth block 10D connected and fixed to the third block 10C corresponds to the "second block connected and fixed to the first block" of the present invention. The groove 14G formed in the fourth block 10D corresponds to the "groove of the second block" of the present invention, and is a fitting groove formed by the end face 13E of the third block 10C and the groove 14G. FG corresponds to "a groove located between the first block and the second block" of the present invention.

(Fifth block body)
As shown in FIG. 3A, the fifth block 10E has a sealing surface 15a that contacts the vacuum side gate valve VG1 via a sealing member such as an O-ring. Exhaust portions 15b and 15c are provided on the inner lower surface IL of the fifth block 10E on both sides in the X direction in the upper internal space 11U. Here, the exhaust portions 15b and 15c are holes (exhaust ports) formed in the fifth block 10E.

Positioning mechanisms 43 and 44 are arranged at positions inside the positions of the two exhaust portions 15b and 15c on the inner lower surface IL of the fifth block 10E. Vacuum-side substrate support pins 30b (substrate support pins close to the vacuum-side gate valve VG1) are provided upright from the inner lower surface IL in a region close to the sealing surface 15a and overlapped with the edge region of the substrate S. ing. In this embodiment, the number of vacuum-side substrate support pins 30b is two, but this number is not limited.

As shown in FIG. 4, a groove 15G extending in a direction (X direction) crossing the transport direction TD is formed in the inner lower surface IL of the fifth block 10E. Similar to grooves 12G, 13G, 14G, groove 15G has an inverted L shape with vertical surface 15GV and horizontal surface 15GH. By connecting the fourth block 10D and the fifth block 10E, a substantially U-shaped fitting groove FG is formed by the end face 14E of the fourth block 10D and the groove 15G. The base member 20 shown in FIG. 3B is fitted in the fitting groove FG.

Regarding the interpretation of the relative relationship between the fourth block body 10D and the fifth block body 10E, the fourth block body 10D corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention, and the fifth block body 10E corresponds to the "first block body" of the present invention. corresponds to the "second block body" of That is, the fifth block 10E connected and fixed to the fourth block 10D corresponds to the "second block connected and fixed to the first block" of the present invention. The groove 15G formed in the fifth block 10E corresponds to the "groove of the second block" of the present invention, and is a fitting groove formed by the end surface 14E of the fourth block 10D and the groove 15G. FG corresponds to "a groove located between the first block and the second block" of the present invention.

(exhaust system)
As shown in FIG. 3A, two of the five blocks forming the load-lock chamber 10, ie, the first block 10A and the fifth block 10E have exhaust portions. The four exhaust portions 11b, 11c, 15b, 15c are provided at positions corresponding to the four corner regions K of the upper internal space 11U. In other words, the four exhaust portions are provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate S. As shown in FIG.
The shape of each exhaust section is not particularly limited. A circle, an ellipse, an ellipse, a rectangle, etc. are employed. The exhaust portion located in each of the four corner regions K may be composed of a plurality of exhaust ports. In this case, the number of exhaust ports is also not limited. Specifically, in the configuration shown in FIG. 3A , one exhaust port is formed in one corner region K, but one corner region K may be formed with a plurality of exhaust ports.
The four exhaust portions 11b, 11c, 15b, 15c are also provided in the lower internal space 11L shown in FIG. 2B.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, for the two upper internal spaces 11U and the lower internal space 11L that constitute the load lock chamber 10, an exhaust system including pipes and valves provided between the four exhaust units and the vacuum pump 50P is provided. Describe the system.
Each of the four exhaust portions 11b, 11c, 15b, 15c formed in the upper internal space 11U is connected to the four branch pipes 50B through holes formed in the block body. The four branch pipes 50B are connected to a collective pipe 50M, and the collective pipe 50M is connected to a vacuum pump 50P via a vacuum valve 50U.

Similarly, each of the four exhaust portions 11b, 11c, 15b, 15c formed in the lower internal space 11L is connected to the four branch pipes 50B through holes formed in the block body. The four branch pipes 50B are connected to a collective pipe 50M, and the collective pipe 50M is connected to a vacuum pump 50P via a vacuum valve 50L.

The vacuum valves 50U, 50L and the vacuum pump 50P are connected to the controller 100. FIG. The controller 100 individually controls opening and closing operations of the vacuum valves 50U and 50L. For example, the controller 100 can open only the vacuum valve 50U and close only the vacuum valve 50L. In this case, the vacuum pump 50P and the upper internal space 11U are communicated, the gas inside the upper internal space 11U is exhausted, and the upper internal space 11U can be made into a vacuum atmosphere. On the other hand, by supplying the vent gas from the gas supply part 13c to the lower internal space 11L while the vacuum valve 50L is closed, the lower internal space 11L can be brought into an atmospheric pressure atmosphere.
Also, the atmosphere of both the upper internal space 11U and the lower internal space 11L can be a vacuum atmosphere or an atmospheric pressure atmosphere. The control of the vacuum valves 50U and 50L by the controller 100 is performed according to the operation of substrate transfer in the load lock chamber 10, which will be described later.

(positioning mechanism)
As shown in FIG. 3A, two of the five blocks forming the load lock chamber 10, ie, the first block 10A and the fifth block 10E have positioning mechanisms.
The four positioning mechanisms 41, 42, 43, 44 are provided at positions corresponding to the four corner regions K of the upper internal space 11U. In other words, the four positioning mechanisms are provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate S. As shown in FIG.
In the following description, the positioning mechanism 42 will be described, but since each of the other positioning mechanisms 41, 43, and 44 has the same configuration as the positioning mechanism 42, description thereof will be omitted.

As shown in FIG. 6, the positioning mechanism 42 includes a base plate 45P fixed to the inner lower surface IL, substrate corner support pins 30c erected on the base plate 45P, and first roller support portions erected on the base plate 45P. 46Y and a second roller support portion 46X, a first roller 45Y rotatably supported by the first roller support portion 46Y via an axis AY, and a first roller 45Y rotatably supported by the second roller support portion 46X via an axis AX. and a second roller 45X.

The first roller 45Y is rotatable around an axis AY parallel to the transport direction TD. The inner end 45YE of the first roller 45Y can contact the end surface of the substrate S which is a corner portion of the substrate S and extends in the Y direction.
The second roller 45X is rotatable around an axis AX parallel to the X direction orthogonal to the transport direction TD. The inner end 45XE of the second roller 45X can contact the end surface of the substrate S which is a corner portion of the substrate S and extends in the X direction.

The positions of the corners of the substrate S are determined by the first roller 45Y and the second roller 45X while the substrate S is in contact with the ball bearings 32 of the plurality of substrate support pins 30 . In particular, the positioning mechanisms 41, 42, 43, and 44 are provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate S, and the positions of the substrate S are determined at the four locations. Even if the inner end 45YE of the first roller 45Y and the inner end 45XE of the second roller 45X come into contact with the end surface of the substrate S, the first roller 45Y and the second roller 45X rotate, so the substrate S is not damaged. can be prevented.

The load lock chamber 10 having the configuration described above does not have a drive mechanism for moving the substrate in the vertical direction (Z direction). The vertical movement of the substrate in the internal space 11 is performed by driving the robot hand 3c or the robot hand 2c as will be described later.

(Operation in load lock chamber)
Next, referring to FIGS. 7A to 7D, the operation of transporting the substrate S (pre-processed substrate SP, processed substrate) to the load lock chamber 10 will be described in detail.
In the following description, substrate transfer in the upper internal space 11U will be described. In the lower internal space 11L as well, substrates are transported in the same manner as in the upper internal space 11U, so description thereof will be omitted.
7A to 7D show only essential parts of the members constituting the load lock chamber 10 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3B.

First, the upper internal space 11U is sealed by the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 and the vacuum side gate valve VG, and the vacuum valve 50U is closed. In this state, vent gas is supplied from the gas supply portion 13c through the vent filter 13b to the upper internal space 11U, and the internal pressure of the upper internal space 11U is controlled to be substantially the same as the atmospheric pressure. After that, the atmospheric side gate valve AG1 is opened while the vacuum side gate valve VG1 is closed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7A, the unprocessed substrate SP is transported to the upper internal space 11U.
Specifically, by driving the atmospheric transport robot 3a, the robot hand 3c takes out the unprocessed substrate SP from the substrate cassette 4, and the robot hand 3c passes the unprocessed substrate SP through the opening space OP1 along the transport direction TD. to transport the unprocessed substrate SP into the upper internal space 11U.

Next, the lifting mechanism 3d of the atmosphere transfer robot 3a is driven, and the robot hand 3c descends in the direction LD. The unprocessed substrate SP held by the robot hand 3c contacts the ball bears 32 of the substrate support pins 30 (30a, 30b, 30c), and the unprocessed substrate SP is transferred to the substrate support pins 30 from the robot hand 3c.

Thereby, as shown in FIG. 7B, the unprocessed substrate SP is arranged inside the upper internal space 11U. At this time, the four corners of the pre-processed substrate SP come into contact with the first rollers 45Y and the second rollers 45X of the four positioning mechanisms 41, 42, 43, 44 to position the pre-processed substrate SP.
After that, the robot hand 3c is withdrawn from the upper internal space 11U, and the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 is closed.

Next, the upper internal space 11U is sealed by the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 and the vacuum side gate valve VG, and the vacuum valve 50U is opened. As a result, the upper internal space 11U communicates with the vacuum pump 50P through the four exhaust units, the four branch pipes 50B, and the collective pipe 50M, and the gas in the upper internal space 11U is exhausted by the vacuum pump 50P.
When the internal pressure of the upper internal space 11U becomes substantially the same as the internal pressure of the transfer chamber 2, the vacuum side gate valve VG is opened while the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 is closed.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7C, the unprocessed substrate SP is transferred from the upper internal space 11U to the transfer chamber 2. As shown in FIG.
Specifically, by driving the vacuum transfer robot 2a (arm 2b), the robot hand 2c enters the upper internal space 11U from the transfer chamber 2 and is arranged below the pre-processed substrate SP. At this time, the robot hand 2c moves the unprocessed substrate SP from the transfer chamber 2 while a gap is formed between the unprocessed substrate SP and the robot hand 2c so that the unprocessed substrate SP and the robot hand 2c do not come into contact with each other. down position.

Next, as shown in FIG. 7D, the lifting mechanism 2d of the vacuum transfer robot 2a is driven, and the robot hand 2c is lifted in the direction UD (direction from the lower position to the upper position of the unprocessed substrate SP). Then, the robot hand 2c supports the lower surface of the unprocessed substrate SP. When the robot hand 2c rises in the direction UD, the unprocessed substrate SP is separated from the substrate support pins 30 (30a, 30b, 30c), and the unprocessed substrate SP is transferred from the substrate support pins 30 to the robot hand 2c. The robot hand 2c transfers the unprocessed substrate SP from the upper internal space 11U into the transfer chamber 2 while holding the unprocessed substrate SP. When the unprocessed substrate SP has been transported, the vacuum-side gate valve VG is closed.

The unprocessed substrate SP passes through the transfer chamber 2 and is processed in at least one of the process chambers 1A to 1E.
A processed substrate is obtained by performing processing in the process chamber, and the processed substrate is returned from the transfer chamber 2 to the upper internal space 11U by the vacuum transfer robot 2a. Here, the vacuum transfer robot 2a does not necessarily return the processed substrate to the upper internal space 11U, and may return the processed substrate to the lower internal space 11L. In the following description, the case of returning the processed substrate to the upper internal space 11U will be described.

First, the vacuum-side gate valve VG1 is opened while the internal atmosphere of the upper internal space 11U is a vacuum atmosphere. Thereafter, while the processed substrate is held by the robot hand 2c, the robot hand 2c of the vacuum transfer robot 2a transports the processed substrate into the upper internal space 11U along the transport direction TD.
Subsequently, the lifting mechanism 2d is driven to lower the robot hand 2c along the direction LD, and the robot hand 2c places the processed substrate on the substrate support pins 30 (30a, 30b, 30c). As a result, the processed substrate is transferred from the robot hand 2c to the substrate support pins 30 (30a, 30b, 30c). The processed substrates are positioned by positioning mechanisms 41 , 42 , 43 and 44 . After that, the arm 2b moves toward the transfer chamber 2 from a position below the processed substrate while the processed substrate and the robot hand 2c are separated from each other. That is, the robot hand 2c withdraws from the load lock chamber 10, and the vacuum side gate valve VG1 is closed.

The upper internal space 11U is sealed by the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 and the vacuum side gate valve VG, and the vacuum valve 50U is closed. In this state, vent gas is supplied from the gas supply portion 13c through the vent filter 13b to the upper internal space 11U, and the internal pressure of the upper internal space 11U is controlled to be substantially the same as the atmospheric pressure. After that, the atmospheric side gate valve AG1 is opened while the vacuum side gate valve VG is closed.

After that, the atmospheric transfer robot 3a is driven, whereby the robot hand 3c enters the upper internal space 11U and is arranged below the processed substrate.
The lifting mechanism 3d of the atmosphere transfer robot 3a is driven, and the robot hand 3c is lifted. The robot hand 3c then supports the lower surface of the processed substrate. When the robot hand 3c is raised, the processed substrate is separated from the substrate support pins 30 (30a, 30b, 30c), and the processed substrate is transferred from the substrate support pins 30 to the robot hand 3c. The robot hand 3c conveys the processed substrate from the upper internal space 11U to the substrate cassette 4 while holding the processed substrate. When the transport of the processed substrate is completed, the atmosphere side gate valve AG1 is closed.

According to the load-lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the above-described embodiment, the base member 20 is fitted in the fitting groove FG, and the plurality of substrate support pins 30 fixed to the base member 20 hold the substrate S (processed). pre-substrate SP, processed substrate). With this configuration, there is no need to provide the load lock chamber 10 with an elevating mechanism as in the conventional structure, and it is possible to prevent particles from being stirred up and scattered due to vibration accompanying driving of the elevating mechanism.

Furthermore, unlike the conventional structure in which the upper opening of the chamber body is closed with a lid, the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment has an internal space formed by connecting annular opening spaces. That is, a lidless structure can be realized. With this configuration, it is possible to solve the problem of the conventional structure that particles are generated from the O-ring between the chamber main body and the lid.

In particular, when a large substrate having one side exceeding 1500 mm is adopted as the substrate S, the size of the load lock chamber 10 also increases. It is possible to solve the problem in the conventional structure that the amount of friction between the lid and the O-ring is significantly increased.
Furthermore, in the conventional structure, particles are generated not only by the friction between the large lid and the O-ring, but also by the friction caused by the contact between the members constituting the load lock chamber and the large lid, and the particles adhere to the substrate. There is also the problem of doing, but such problems can also be solved.

According to the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the exhaust portions 11b, 11c, 15b, and 15c are provided at positions corresponding to the four corner regions K of the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L). As a result, the gas in the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L) dispersively flows toward the four exhaust sections. On the other hand, in the conventional structure in which the load lock chamber is provided with only one exhaust port, the gas inside the load lock chamber flows intensively toward one exhaust port. Therefore, according to the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the embodiment, it is possible to reduce the flow rate per exhaust part, for example, to about 1/4 of the conventional flow rate. In addition, there is a distributed flow that flows towards the four exhausts. Compared to the conventional structure, it is possible to reduce the generation of airflow generated in the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L), and to prevent particles from being stirred up and scattered. As a result, adhesion of particles to the substrate S can be prevented.

According to the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to this embodiment, the gap G between the two adjacent block bodies is covered by the groove cover 21 that covers the gap G between the two adjacent block bodies. It is possible to prevent the deposited particles from scattering into the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L). As a result, adhesion of particles to the substrate S can be prevented.

According to the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the windows 12a and 14a are formed in the side surfaces of the block bodies 10B and 10D, so that the substrate support pins 30 are fixed through the windows 12a and 14a. Maintenance work such as replacement of the base member 20 and cleaning of the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L) can be performed.

According to the load lock chamber 10 of the substrate processing apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the positioning mechanisms 41, 42, 42, 42, 42, 42 are positioned corresponding to the four corners of the substrate S arranged in the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L). By providing 43 and 44, it is possible to prevent the substrate S from being displaced in the upper internal space 11U (lower internal space 11L).

(Modification)
The "groove formed in the inner lower surface of the opening space" of the present invention is not limited to the fitting grooves FG (grooves 12G, 13G, 14G, 15G) formed between two block bodies adjacent to each other.
A substantially U-shaped groove may be formed directly on the inner lower surface IL of at least one of the five block bodies at a position different from the position where the fitting groove FG is formed. good. In other words, the grooves may be formed on the inner lower surface IL, for example, between the grooves 12G and 13G, between the grooves 13G and 14G, and between the grooves 14G and 15G.
The base member 20 is fitted into this groove, and a plurality of substrate support pins 30 are fixed to the base member 20, as in the above-described embodiment.
That is, the load lock chamber 10 according to this modification has a structure in which the base member 20 is fitted in the fitting groove FG, and a groove formed at a position different from the fitting groove FG. You may have both with the structure which was carried out.

As a result, not only the plurality of substrate support pins 30 fixed to the base member 20 fitted in the fitting grooves FG but also the base member 20 fitted to the grooves directly formed in the inner lower surface IL are fixed. The substrate S can be supported by the plurality of substrate support pins 30 formed as shown in FIG. Therefore, in addition to the effects obtained by the above-described embodiment, the number of substrate support pins 30 for supporting the substrate S is increased, and even if the substrate S is made larger, the load is An effect is also obtained that the substrate S can be horizontally maintained inside the lock chamber 10 .

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described above, it is to be understood that they are illustrative of the invention and should not be considered limiting. Additions, omissions, substitutions, and other modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention should not be viewed as limited by the foregoing description, but rather by the scope of the claims.

Although the load lock chamber 10 is composed of five blocks in the above embodiment, the number of blocks is not limited. The number of blocks may be 6 or more as long as it is 2 or more.

In the embodiment described above, the fitting grooves FG (grooves 12G, 13G, 14G, 15G) extend in the X direction. The groove does not necessarily have to extend in the X direction, and the groove may be formed in a direction intersecting the transport direction TD, that is, in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction TD. In this case, the base member 20 fitted in the fitting groove FG also extends in a direction inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to the transport direction TD.

In the above-described embodiment, the windows 12a and 14a corresponding to the upper internal space 11U and the lower internal space 11L are formed on the side surfaces of the second block 10B and the fourth block 10D. Windows may be provided in the first block 10A, the third block 10C, and the fifth block 10E.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the load lock chamber 10 has two internal spaces, the upper internal space 11U and the lower internal space 11L, is described, but the number of internal spaces is not limited to two. It may be one, or three or more.

In the above-described embodiment, the structure in which the positioning mechanisms 41, 42, 43, and 44 are provided at positions corresponding to the four corners of the substrate S placed inside the vacuum chamber has been described. is not limited. In addition to the four positioning mechanisms described above, a positioning mechanism having a roller that contacts the end surface of the substrate S parallel to the transport direction TD may be provided inside the load lock chamber 10 .

The present invention prevents particles from being stirred up and scattered due to vibrations caused by driving an elevating mechanism, prevents particles from being generated from a seal member between a chamber body and a lid, and prevents particles from adhering to a substrate to be transported. It is widely applicable to vacuum chambers to prevent

1 substrate processing apparatus 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E process chamber 2 transfer chamber 2a vacuum transfer robot 2b, 3b arm 2c, 3c robot hand 2d, 3d lifting mechanism 3 atmosphere transfer device 3a atmosphere Transfer robot 4 Substrate cassette 10 Load lock chamber (vacuum chamber) 10A First block (block) 10B Second block (block) 10C Third block (block) 10D Fourth block Body (block body) 10E Fifth block body (block body) 11 Internal space 11a, 15a Seal surface 11b, 11c, 15b, 15c Exhaust part 11E, 12E, 13E, 14E End face 11L Lower internal space ( internal space), 11U upper internal space, 12a, 14a window, 12b, 14b flange, 12G, 13G, 14G, 15G, groove, 12GH, 13GH, 14GH, 15GH horizontal surface, 12GV, 13GV, 14GV, 15GV vertical surface, 13a opening , 13b vent filter, 13c gas supply unit, 20 base member, 20S screw hole, 21 groove cover, 21L lower surface, 21P through hole, 21U upper surface, 30 substrate support pin, 30a atmosphere side substrate support pin (substrate support pin), 30b Vacuum-side substrate support pin (substrate support pin), 30c substrate corner support pin (substrate support pin), 31 rod, 31U upper portion, 32 ball bear (support end), 32T upper end, 33 fixed end, 34 bolt, 41, 42, 43, 44 positioning mechanism, 45P base plate, 45X second roller, 45XE, 45YE inner end, 45Y first roller, 46X second roller support, 46Y first roller support, 50B branch pipe, 50L, 50U vacuum valve, 50M Collection pipe, 50P Vacuum pump, 100 Control unit, AG, AG1, AG2 Atmosphere side gate valve, AX, AY Axis line, FG Fitting groove, G Gap, IL Inside lower surface, IS Inside side surface, IU Inside upper surface, K Angle area, OP, OP1, OP2 opening space, S substrate, SL O-ring (seal member), SP substrate before processing, TD transport direction, VG, VG1, VG2 vacuum side gate valve.

Claims (7)

An internal space formed by arranging a plurality of block bodies having annular open spaces in the substrate transport direction along the transport direction, and by communicating the open spaces of the plurality of block bodies. A vacuum chamber capable of switching the atmosphere of between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere,
a first block body that is one of the plurality of block bodies;
It is one of the plurality of block bodies, has a groove extending in a direction crossing the conveying direction and formed on the inner lower surface of the opening space, and is connected and fixed to the first block body via a seal member. a second block body;
a base member extending in the direction in which the groove extends and fitted into the groove;
a plurality of substrate support pins, each having a support end with which the substrate contacts and a fixed end positioned opposite to the support end and fixed to the base member, for supporting the substrate inside the vacuum chamber; ,
A vacuum chamber with In a plan view of the vacuum chamber,
Each of at least two block bodies among the plurality of block bodies,
Having exhaust units provided at positions corresponding to four corner regions of the internal space of the vacuum chamber,
The vacuum chamber of Claim 1. the groove is located between the first block and the second block,
A cover that covers a gap between the first block body and the second block body is provided between the base member fitted in the groove and the fixed end of the board support pin,
A vacuum chamber according to claim 1 or claim 2. In a side view in a direction parallel to the substrate and in a direction crossing the transport direction,
A window is formed on at least one side surface of the plurality of blocks,
A vacuum chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 3. In a plan view of the vacuum chamber,
Each of at least two block bodies among the plurality of block bodies,
positioning mechanisms provided at positions corresponding to four corners of the substrate arranged inside the vacuum chamber;
Each positioning mechanism is
a first roller rotatable around an axis parallel to the conveying direction;
a second roller rotatable around an axis parallel to the direction orthogonal to the conveying direction;
has
determining the positions of the corners of the substrate by the first roller and the second roller while the substrate is in contact with the support ends of the plurality of substrate support pins;
A vacuum chamber according to any one of claims 1 to 4. An internal space formed by arranging a plurality of block bodies having annular open spaces in the substrate transport direction along the transport direction, and by communicating the open spaces of the plurality of block bodies. a vacuum chamber capable of switching the atmosphere of between an atmospheric pressure atmosphere and a vacuum atmosphere;
a transfer chamber connected to the vacuum chamber;
a process chamber connected to the transfer chamber;
a transfer robot that transfers the substrate between the vacuum chamber and the transfer chamber and between the transfer chamber and the process chamber, and is provided inside the transfer chamber;
with
The vacuum chamber is
a first block body that is one of the plurality of block bodies;
It is one of the plurality of block bodies, has a groove extending in a direction crossing the conveying direction and formed on the inner lower surface of the opening space, and is connected and fixed to the first block body via a seal member. a second block body;
a base member extending in the direction in which the groove extends and fitted into the groove;
a plurality of substrate support pins for supporting the substrate inside the vacuum chamber, each having a support end with which the substrate contacts and a fixed end positioned opposite to the support end and fixed to the base member; ,
having
Substrate processing equipment. The transport robot is
robot hand,
an arm that moves the robot hand along the transport direction;
an elevating mechanism for moving the robot hand along the vertical direction of the substrate;
with
in the interior space of the vacuum chamber,
By driving the arm, the robot hand moves between a position below the substrate and the transfer chamber,
By driving the elevating mechanism, the robot hand vertically moves the robot hand between a position below the substrate and a position above the substrate.
The substrate processing apparatus according to claim 6.

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